Pipe-coupling attachment for car couplings



J.H.FUNK. PIPE COUPLING ATTACHMENT FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9,1921- 1,408,351 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

INVENTOR.

AITTORNEKS emrao starts JOHN H. norm, or sr. nours rrrssoonr,

PIPE-COUPLING ATTAcHMEnT FDR can moraines.

Application filed March 9, 1321. Serial No. 450,866.

To all it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jenn H. Form, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Pipe-Coupliug Attachments for CarOouplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full. clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable otihersskilled the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pipe coupling attachments for car couplers ofthe general type disclosed in United States patent to Herbert, No.1.363.973, patented Decemher 28th. 1920.

An object of this invention is to improve the cooperating connectingmeans between a car coupler head and a block or shoe sustainingcompression pipe couplings adapted to automatically couple with acompanion set of compression couplings of similar character when twocars are coupled.

The invention consists in the particular combination of elementsdescribed in the s iecification, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car coupler embodying my inprovement;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2- -2 of Figure '1;

Figure is a perspective View of the under portion of a car coupler and afragment of the pipe coupling block or shoe shown in detached position.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a coupler head; 2 a draw bar; 3 acoupling pin by which the head is pivotal' ly conncctedto drawibargg 4is a rigid coupling hook or lug projecting from the front face of thecoupler head and designed for con pling with a standard M. C. B.coupler. 5 is a knuckle pivoted at 6 and adapted to move in a slot orway between the top and bottom faces of the lug 4, the said knuckle 5being adapted to engage with an interlocking abutment of a companioncoupler head. 7 is a releasing lever operating through an opening 7 inthe side of the coupler head and adapted to engage the knuckle 5 of amating coupler in order to release it and the opposite knuckle,a'llftsubstantially as disclosed iii-said priorpatent. 1.; V

8 is a guiding attachment fitted to the normally open front side of a'coupier head and detachably secured place by a pin 9, said detachablemember 8 being adapted to guide into interlocking engagement with the"lug 4 the knuckleof a standard coupler, as more fully described in myco-pending application Serial No. 450,865, filed March The rnechanismiar described forms no of the present invention but constitates acoupler head which is adapted to interlock rigidly with an M. C. B.coupler; or to interlock with a companion head of similar character,when the member 8 is detached, the two similar coupler heads forming arigid unyielding mass, but flexibly united to thedraw bars, andparticularly adapted for use with automatic compressioncoupling'eleviees now-to be described. 'On't he ander faee of thecoitpler head 1 are two oppositely disposed guides 10, prefera'bty castintegral with the'coapling head. Said guides have flanges l1.overhanging the base of the coupler, forming guideways 12 between theoverhanging flanges and the flat under face of the coupler.

Formed transversely on the under side of the coupler head, rearward ofthe rear ends of the guides 10, is a transverse abutment lug '13 adaptedto serve as a positioning 51:0 for thecoupler'blockor shoe to be doscribed. It will be observed that the transverse lug. 13 is set back anappreciable distance rearwardof the guides "10 for a double purpose tobe now stated. (1) In order that a snug and neat fit may be provided forthe pipe coupler block it is desirable that the ways and thesurface ofthe head between the ways carefully machined. By steamer th factthatthe'lu'g 1'3 is set back of the end cf theguid'es fil' it ispossible to machine accurately the space between said lugs 13 and theways 10. The space between the guides 10 may be planed by a tool movedrelatively lengthwise of the coupler, and the space between the rear endof the guides 10 and the lug 13 may be machined by relative movements ofa tool crosswise of the coupler. (2) The block or shoe may be pinned inplace by a pin inserted through it rearward of and in contact with theguides 10 and forward of the lug 13, so that when the block :or shoe isforced to place it cannot move from the position in which it is set. N y7 The said guides 10 form a wedge shaped seat and it is designed thatthe matingpart of the pipe couphng'block or shoe shall be machined to anexactfit so that when the blockor shoe is seated it will be wedgedtightly to its seat and free. from any lost motion that might render thejoint between the compression couplings defective. The coupler block orshoe is shown at 14. The said block or shoe 14 and the compressioncoupling devices 15, 16 and 17 carried thereby are substantially of theconstruction shown in my application for'patent Serial No. 404,725,.filed August 20th, 1920, and are no art of my present invention,insofar as tie body of the block and the form of compression couplingsis concerned. The base of the block 14 is flanged as indicated at 18,the flan es projecting on both sides and forward From said block. TheSide flanges 19 are tapered at theexact angle of the ways 12 in theunder face of the coupler 1 so that when said block is lfittedztothecoupler the sidefla cs 19 will fit snugly in ways 12 between the ides16, the portions 11 overlying the si e flanges 19. The rear end of thebase of the block 14 is intended torfit snugly against thelug 13 whensaid block is in position on the coupler 1. Perforations 20 are formedin the block 14 just. above the flanges 19 and at a point directly inthe rear of the rear end of the guides 10 when said block is in placeand seated against the abutment 13. Through said holes 20, when thecoupler block is engaged with the coupler head 1, is passed a pin 21 toprevent said coupler blocks from moving forward. By means of said pin21, therefore, the block 14 is lockedin place with its rear end snuglyabutting against the abutment lug 13 and the side flanges wedged betweenguides 10 so that said blocks cannot move.

It will be apparent that the spacing of the abutment 13 rearward of therear ends of the guides 10 renders the face of the coupler head and thecorners of the ways and abutment lug susceptible of being readilymachined as is essential to secure the accurate fit necessary to providefor accurate coupling of the compressor couplings.

It. will batman apparent that. the seat thus formed on the coupler 1will retain the block in the position in which it was originally fittedwithout danger of material wear such as might destroy the accuracy ofthe coupling and "render it thereby ineflicient. in Patent No.1,363,973, referred to, and also in my prior pending applicationaforesaid, *the rear end of the block is seated against the end of thecoupler pin. In this prior construction the coupler pin, constantlymoving during 0 oration, tends to wear away the surface 0 the pin andthe corzesponding surface of the block. It will be apparent that it doesnot take a great deal of wear of this sort to destroy the accuracy offit of the coupling faces of a compression coupling to the extent thatpressure will leak when two couplers are united. The practical value ofthe construction forming the subject of this application will be clearwhen it is considered how little movement is required to impair theaccuracy of compression couplings of the general type shown.

Having described my invention in such manner as to enable those skilledin the art to make and use the same, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination, of a coupler head having guiding means for a pipecoupler block formed on its under side, and an abutment lug spacedrearward of said guiding means; with a pipe coupler block adapted to.engage said uiding means with its rear face seated against saidabutment lug.

2. The combination, of a coupler head having a pair of guides formed onits under surface and an abutment lug spaced rearward of the guides;with a pipe coupling block engaged between said guides and seatedagainst the abutment lug, and means engaging said block and the rear ofsaid guides for securing said block in place.

3. The combination of a coupler head having a pair of converging guidesformed on its under face and an abutment lug space-d rearward ofthe'lrear ends of said guides; with a pipe (oupling block engagedbetween said guides and having its rear side engaging said abutment lug.i

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

JOHN H, F NK.

